The invention relates to a carrier produced for packaging a plurality of articles, for example bottles. More particularly, the invention relates to an article carrier of the top-gripping type which is attached to the tops of the articles thereby securing the articles in an array. The invention also relates to a bottle package formed using the carrier.
It is known to provide top-gripping carriers designed to engage bottle neck flanges by so called xe2x80x9csunburstxe2x80x9d apertures having a series of tabs which enable the bottle top to pass through the apertures, which tabs engage the underside of the bottle top or on the flange of a bottle neck to prevent the removal of the bottle from the aperture. A problem arises when such xe2x80x9csunburstxe2x80x9d type apertures are used for bottles, particularly when the location in which the tab engages the underside of the bottle top is high up on the bottle neck. This creates a carrier that is unstable because there is a tendency for undue movement between the bottle and the carrier. For example, jiggling of the bottles in the carrier while the bottles are transported, would give a sense of carton insecurity to the users and could cause panels of the carrier to warp or crease. Further, once the article is held by the carrier it can be difficult to remove the article from the carrier because the arrangement of the tabs makes it difficult to reuse the article carrier.
A further problem is that a top-gripping carton needs to be of sufficient strength to support the articles especially where the article is large or if the articles to be packaged vary in size.
The present invention and the preferred embodiments seek to overcome or at least mitigate the problems of the prior art.
Beneficially, the carrier can package a variety of article types with different shapes of necks. One advantage is that the top engaging carrier of the invention is capable of inhibiting undue movement of the bottles with respect to the carrier. Furthermore, the carrier is arranged to facilitate easy access to the articles to be removed from the carrier without causing undesired warp or creases in the side walls.
A first aspect of the invention provides an article carrier for holding a plurality of articles, for example bottles, which carrier comprises a plurality of panels including side wall panels for forming a tubular structure, one of the side wall panels having at least one severance line and a reinforcing tab hingedly connected to an edge of a first aperture for receiving the article, which reinforcing tab is folded to underlie the one side wall panel.
Optionally, there further comprises a second aperture struck from a base panel in spaced alignment with the first aperture and wherein the reinforcing tab has a pull tab joined thereto and extending downwardly and outwardly through the second aperture.
In another optional feature, the reinforcing tab is struck from said one of the side wall panels.
According to another feature there further comprises an article engaging flap struck from the second aperture, which article engaging flap is disposed in engagement with the pull tab to retain the reinforcing tab in the folded underlying position.
According to another optional feature there further comprises securing means for securing together adjacent panels to maintain the tubular structure, wherein the securing means may comprise a securing tab hingedly connected to one of the adjacent panels and adapted to be engaged to be engaged with the article engaging flap to retain the securing tab in a folded underlying position within the tubular structure.
Preferably, there further comprises a second severance line so constructed and arranged with respect to the first severance line as to define a tear strip between the first and second apertures. More preferably, the reinforcing tab is hingedly connected to the tear strip.
A second aspect of the invention provides a blank for forming an article carrier which blank comprises a plurality of panels including side wall panels for forming a tubular structure, one of the side wall panels having at least one severance line and a reinforcing tab hingedly connected to an edge of a first aperture for receiving the article to be disposed within the first aperture.
According to an optional feature of the second aspect of the invention there may further comprise a second aperture struck from a base panel adapted to be placed in spaced alignment with the first aperture in a set up condition and wherein the reinforcing tab has a pull tab joined. Preferably, the reinforcing tab is struck from said one of the side wall panels.
According to another optional feature of the second aspect of the invention there may further comprise a second severance line so constructed and arranged with respect to the first severance line as to define a tear strip between the first and second apertures. Optionally, the reinforcing tab is hingedly connected to the tear strip.